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Centene (CNC) Reports Q2 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

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For the quarter ended June 2026, Centene (CNC - Free Report) reported revenue of $53.58 billion, up 9.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.51, compared to -$0.16 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $47.53 billion, representing a surprise of +12.73%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +182.02%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.89.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Centene performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Membership by line of business - Total: 25.89 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of 25.87 million.
  • Membership by line of business - Medicaid: 12.11 million compared to the 12.23 million average estimate based on three analysts.
  • Membership Medicaid - Traditional Medicaid: 10.75 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of 10.75 million.
  • Membership by line of business - Medicare: 980 thousand compared to the 1 million average estimate based on three analysts.
  • Revenues- Service: $793 million versus $722.97 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +9.1% change.
  • Revenues- Premium: $43.58 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $42.49 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.4%.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues: $44.38 billion versus $43.22 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.5% change.
  • Revenues- Premium tax: $9.2 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $4.37 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +46.7%.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Commercial: $9.36 billion compared to the $8.94 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -7.1% year over year.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Medicare: $11.06 billion versus $10.83 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +17% change.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Other: $1.2 billion versus $855.12 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2.3% change.
  • Revenues- Premium and service revenues- Medicaid: $22.77 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $23.22 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.8%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Centene here>>>

Shares of Centene have returned -0.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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